Lent: Loving Silence & Solitude - Alex Walker

Alex kicks things off with a cheeky poll about introverts and extroverts (and those fence-sitting ambiverts who apparently made it onto his "list of things I don't like"). But beneath the banter lies a serious question: have we turned rest and solitude into something reactive rather than proactive? Drawing from the Desert Fathers, particularly Anthony the Great, who spent 20 years living alone in an abandoned Roman fort, the message explores how biblical solitude isn't about running away from busyness. It's about intentionally creating space where God can strip away our dependencies on the world and reveal what our hearts truly rely on. Through the contrasting stories of Israel's wilderness wanderings and Jesus' 40 days of temptation, we see two responses to solitude: one that runs back to Egypt's slavery, and one that stands firm in identity as God's beloved child. The message culminates in a beautiful reading from Hosea 2, where God allures His people into the wilderness not to punish them, but to speak tenderly and restore their identity. Bible Verses Referenced: Matthew 3 Matthew 4:1-4 Exodus 32 Numbers 11 Numbers 14 Hosea 2:14-23 CONNECT WITH RIVERLIFE CHURCH HERE ATInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverlifebaptistchurchFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiverlifeBaptistChurchWebsite: https://riverlifechurch.org.au